UC San Diego

In this dissertation, I use space-based geodetic data to study the ground deformation caused by the earthquake cycle processes. Chapter 1 is an introduction to the data I used and the motivation on each of the following chapters. Chapter 2 focuses on investigating a controversial problem brought up by several co-seismic inversions using geodetic data, which is called the shallow slip deficit. I explored whether this problem is largely an artifact of inversion due to incomplete data and refined the magnitude of this deficit. Chapter 3, following Chapter 2 develops a new data-driven spectral expansion approach for co-seismic slip inversion using geodetic data. Compared to traditional method, it isolates the unstable part of the model and only solves for the well-determined part. Meanwhile we also developed a 1-D thermal model to understand the different down-dip rupture limits of continental-continental and continental-oceanic megathrust events. Chapter 4 aims at understanding the new TOPS mode data from Sentinel-1 satellites and fully testing the capability of this dataset. A subsidence of about 160 mm/yr at the Cerro Prieto Geothermal Field is recovered together with a 40 mm/yr tectonic fault parallel motion at the nearby region. Chapter 5 further develops the processing algorithm used in Chapter 4 and uses Sentinel-1 data to reveal both tectonic and anthropogenic deformation along the San Andreas Fault System.